“I came to Congress to represent Southwest Washington's independent values, not just vote down the party line. I’ve made it a priority to build relationships across the aisle, fight polarization, and tune out the noise of clickbait politics, 77% of the bills I have introduced are bipartisan – because good ideas are good ideas, no matter which side of the aisle they come from. For these efforts, I received an A grade on the Bridge Pledge, which recognizes strong records of bipartisan voting and legislating.”  (gluesenkamperez.house.gov/report; 2024 Year End Report)

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To hear directly from Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez, watch this short video:

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez calls GOP Financial Services bill a slap in the face to taxpayers

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BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE

REP. Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez was elected to her first term in 2022 and was reelected in 2024.

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She is in the fifth generation of working-class Washingtonians on her mother’s side. Her father emigrated from Mexico to attend college at Western Washington University, where her parents met. Marie graduated from Reed College in Oregon with a degree in economics. She and her husband, Dean Gluesenkamp, co-own an auto repair shop in Portland with eight employees. They live in rural Skamania County with their son.

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Perez first entered politics in 2016 when she lost a race for County Commissioner. She was elected to the Underwood Soil and Water Conservation District in 2018, and became a member of the Washington State Democratic Committee in 2020. In a crowded nonpartisan top-two primary in ‘22, she won first place over Joe Kent, a Trump-endorsed election denier (31% vs. 22.6%). Moderate Republican incumbent, Jaime Herrara Butler, one of the few Republicans who had voted to impeach Trump, lost the renomination contest in the primary.

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ON THE ISSUES

Gluesenkamp-Perez worked for Bernie Sanders in 2016 but now describes herself as a moderate Democrat. She is fighting to:

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• Support small businesses and workers’ rights.

• Support reproductive freedom and women’s access to healthcare.

• Oppose bans on assault weapons but support raising the age of legal gun purchase to 21.

• Invest in clean energy.

• Lower the cost of healthcare, childcare and prescription drugs.

• Overturn Citizens United to limit the influence of big money.

• Invest and expand apprenticeships and skills training.

• Tackle rising cost of food, gas and housing.

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POLITICS IN WASHINGTON

Rep. Perez defeated MAGA Republican Joe Kent in 2022 by a mere .8% and  again in 2024 by 3.8%. Significantly, Kamala Harris lost this district by 3.30% suggesting the competitive swing district nature of this seat.

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WA 03 is in the southernmost part of western Washington, sharing a border with Oregon. Demographically, the district is 77.8% white, 11.1% Hispanic, 3.6% Asian, 1.7% Black, 1.2% Native American. Median household income is $69,543 and 91.6% of residents have high school diplomas and 27.1% college degrees.

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The district has always been competitive, with Bush winning in ’04, Obama in ’08, Trump in ’16 and ’20, but more recent assessments suggest a shift to the right. 

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​Perez is one of the more prominent members of the Blue Dog Democrat Caucus. She has successfully positioned herself as a moderate, who dislikes extremist rhetoric and focuses on issues that concern everyday small business owners like herself. While her races have been close – particularly in 2022 – evidence suggests she has benefited from significant cross-over vote by Republicans. She has been characterized as the poster child of working class Democrats.

 

The Cook Political Report rates this race as Toss up while Sabato's Crystal Ball rates this race as Lean Democrat. The Republican Congressional Campaign Committee (RCCC) has targeted her as one of the 26 most vulnerable Democrats in its efforts to increase their majority. As a consequence, RCCC fundraising and organizing support will flow to her opponent. 

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Two republicans have declared for this race and will thus run in the State's non-partisan primary election scheduled for 8/4/26. They are: State Senate Republican Leader John Braun, and political newcomer and small businessman Antony Barren.  Braun appears to be the Republican front-runner at this point. Braun is seen as a low-key, effective state legislator likely to be popular among rank-and-file Republicans. 

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Note that in a non-partisan primary, all candidates are listed on the same ballot. In this so-called "jungle primary," the top two vote getters advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation. ​​